John Saunders rightly suggests that the "inquest" on this matter "should come when time permits". There must be an inquest. That is the very least this industry - and its client base - deserves.

SIR - In November 1996, I wrote an article for the Security Industry Journal questioning the then fashionable concept of ‘partnerships' involving the private sector in relation to crime prevention and law enforcement. Now, almost a decade on, little has changed. As a consequence, much of that article remains valid today.

To my mind, the word ‘partnership' has been replaced by the phrase ‘extended police family'. A phrase that smacks of the work of a Spin Doctor taking guidance from the Motherhood and Apple Pie lexicon. In today's world, private security officers have been joined by the equally ill-prepared and empowered Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

Much of the debate that I have read and listened to regarding this subject misses the point that becoming a police officer is - or at the very least used to be - a calling. A vocation. Becoming a security officer or a PCSO is not.

I suspect that a re-run of my original words might make for a solid contribution to the current debate.

John King Security Consultant Bromley

The Editor replies: Many thanks for writing to us, John. Having read your original article in Security Industry, it would indeed appear to be an opportune moment for us to reproduce the original words here as many of the points you made are not only entirely valid but still to be addressed by the industry, the police service and the Government.

Source

SMT